This manual presents the most widely adopted evidence-based treatment for co-occurring trauma and addiction. For clients facing one or both of these issues, the most urgent clinical need is to establish safety--to reduce addictive behavior, build healthy relationships, manage symptoms such as dissociation and self-harm, and restore ideals that have been lost. Seeking Safety focuses on coping skills in the present; it can be implemented with individuals or groups, by any provider as well as peers. It offers 25 topics, such as Asking for Help, Taking Good Care of Yourself, Setting Boundaries in Relationships, Healing from Anger, Honesty, and Coping with Triggers. The model is highly flexible, practical, and engaging, and can be conducted with any other treatment, including the author's past-focused model, Creating Change. The book has a large-size format and features reproducible client handouts that can be photocopied or downloaded.

See also Creating Change: A Past-Focused Treatment for Trauma and Addiction, and the self-help guide Finding Your Best Self, Revised Edition: Recovery from Addiction, Trauma, or Both, an ideal client recommendation.

About the Author

Lisa M. Najavits, PhD, is Adjunct Professor at T.H. Chan School of Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, and Director of Treatment Innovations. She was on the faculty of Harvard Medical School/McLean Hospital for 25 years and Boston University School of Medicine/VA Boston for 12 years. Dr. Najavits specializes in the development of new counseling models for trauma and addiction, clinical trials research, and community-based care. She is author of over 200 publications, including the books Seeking Safety: A Treatment Manual for PTSD and Substance Abuse; Finding Your Best Self: Recovery from Addiction, Trauma, or Both; A Woman's Addiction Workbook; and Creating Change: A Past-Focused Treatment for Trauma and Addiction. She has served as president of the Society of Addiction Psychology of the American Psychological Association and has consulted widely on public health efforts in trauma and addiction, both nationally and internationally. She is a recipient of the Young Professional Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the Early Career Contribution Award from the Society for Psychotherapy Research, the Emerging Leadership Award from the Committee on Women in Psychology of the American Psychological Association, the Betty Ford Award from the Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction, and the Distinguished Alumna Award from Barnard College. Dr. Najavits is a licensed psychologist in Massachusetts and conducts a psychotherapy practice.

Reviews

"This landmark volume presents a cutting-edge approach to the treatment of patients who depend on drugs to soothe the pain of PTSD. In stunning detail, Najavits shows how the same therapist can treat both conditions concurrently. Her kinder and gentler approach is a welcome change from traditional confrontational interventions. The volume is enriched by her empathy and wisdom. All therapists attempting to help these patients should have this book to guide them."--Aaron T. Beck, MD, founder of cognitive therapy

"Fabulous! This treatment manual provides practical, clearly described procedures for treating an extremely difficult group of clients. The organization of the treatment is superb. From my perspective, the most important parts of a comprehensive treatment are here--attention to the client's safety, targeting substance use simultaneously with targeting PTSD, integrating ideals and values (I love the quotations!), a core of cognitive-behavioral interventions, a focus on interpersonal relationships, and attention to the needs of the therapist. Very impressive. Obviously written by an experienced clinician."--Marsha M. Linehan, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Director Emeritus, Behavioral Research and Therapy Clinics, University of Washington

"Born of experience and energized by passion, this carefully crafted and thoughtful treatment manual will guide clinicians through the tricky waters of substance abuse and PTSD treatment. Seeking Safety will help clinicians decide what to do and how to do it well. As empirically guided treatment manuals begin to emerge in greater numbers and varying quality, Najavits maintains an essential and elegant balance between a lucid map of treatment directions, on the one hand, and the complex dynamics of the clinical territory on the other. This is a very important work that I highly recommend for clinicians of every stripe."--Howard J. Shaffer, PhD, CAS, Director, Division on Addictions, Harvard Medical School -

Book Information
ISBN 9781572306394
Author Lisa M. Najavits
Format Paperback
Page Count 401
Imprint Guilford Publications
Publisher Guilford Publications
Weight(grams) 920g